September 7, 2012

Lay the Groundwork Now

Rich Umbdenstock, AHA President and CEO

The political conventions are over, the fall election is only 60 days away and voter registration deadlines are approaching rapidly in many states. If you think you've been seeing a lot of the candidates in your community - well, you are about to see a lot more. The hospital field is more than 5 million strong, and we need to get out there and tell legislators - and potential legislators - that we care, not just for patients, but about the health and well-being of our communities and our nation. And we vote. I am happy to report that most AHA members are actively using our “We Care, We Vote” resources to encourage voter registration and inform their hospital family and the candidates about the challenges hospitals face already and how further cuts would affect their communities. Check out stories about some of their efforts.